Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations

Opinion: Sugary Drink Tax Would Curb Kids’ Obesity

Sugary drink consumption has reached "a tipping point," and with 40% of California children overweight, it is time to implement a tax on sweetened beverages, Sen. Bill Monning (D-Monterrey) and Harold Goldstein, executive director of the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, write in a Sacramento Bee opinion piece. They note that SB 622 -- authored by Monning -- will generate $1.7 billion annually for nutrition education and other anti-obesity efforts by levying a penny-per-ounce tax on such drinks.